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IndyCar's rich history is filled with unforgettable races and moments that have left a lasting impact in the hearts of fans, drivers, and stakeholders. While some have defined pivotal eras in the sport, others have sparked debates that took significant effort to resolve.
Controversy has long been a recurring theme in American open-wheel racing, and despite continuous technological advancements, it shows no signs of fading.
As recently as the 2024 season, Team Penske had its victory at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix stripped due to the alleged manipulation of a specific overtaking feature. This, however, is just one of many dramatic incidents that have shaped IndyCar’s recent history.
With controversy at the heart of this discussion, we turn our attention to some of the most contentious finishes in IndyCar racing.
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#3 Hampshire Motorspeedway race Indy 225 — 2011
IndyCar’s return to New England will be remembered as one of the most controversial races in recent history. While the event promised excitement, it ultimately became defined by a series of contentious decisions that sparked widespread debate.
Signs of trouble were evident from the start, as the race was scheduled for 3:50 PM—leaving the series under pressure to complete it within a tight television window. However, matters took a turn for the worse when heavy rain drenched the track, forcing an initial stoppage. Under pressure to resume the race, race steward Brian Barnhart made the controversial call to restart on a soaked circuit—much to the dismay of several drivers.
It didn’t take long for chaos to unfold. Danica Patrick lost control, triggering a multi-car crash that collected several drivers, including Will Power, who famously directed a two-fingered gesture at the race officials in frustration.
Watch highlights of the Indy 225 race below:
The drama didn’t end there. After a red flag, the stewards initially prepared for a five-lap sprint to complete the scheduled 225 laps. However, in a highly contentious move, they revised the restart order based on the standings at the end of Lap 215—demoting race leader Oriol Servia to second and promoting Ryan Hunter-Reay to the front. The decision left Servia furious and overshadowed Hunter-Reay’s eventual victory.
In the aftermath of the IndyCar race, Barnhart admitted that restarting the race under such treacherous conditions was a mistake—a statement that did little to quell the uproar surrounding the event that had unfolded.
#2 Josef Newgarden’s Team Penske disqualification — 2024
IndyCar found itself at the center of yet another controversy during the 2024 St. Petersburg Grand Prix when Team Penske became embroiled in what can only be described as a rule-manipulation scandal.
While exploiting gray areas in the rulebook is a common practice in motorsport, the Mooresville-based outfit appeared to take things too far by manipulating the Push-to-Pass system—allowing its drivers to activate it during every start and restart.
This exploit initially went unnoticed but was later discovered at the Thermal Club Grand Prix in California when race control failed to enable Push-to-Pass, yet all three Penske cars still showed active usage in the live data stream.
Watch Josef Newgarden react to the St. Pete disqualification:
Team Penske was handed heavy fines, while all three of its drivers— including St. Petersburg winner Josef Newgarden—were penalized. Newgarden was stripped of his victory, and his teammates were docked points. As a result, Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward was awarded the win for the season opener.
Had this Push-to-Pass manipulation gone undetected for longer, the 2024 season could have been remembered as one tainted with the most controversy in IndyCar history.
1981 Indianapolis 500 race
The 65th Indianapolis 500 in 1981 is loosely regarded as the most controversial race in the history of the Indy 500.
Team Penske’s Bobby Unser was first across the finish line and took the checkered flag as the winner, with Mario Andretti following closely in second place.
It appeared to have been a regular Indy 500 race until the United States Auto Club (USAC) race stewards ruled that Unser had overtaken cars while trying to exit the pit lane in a hurry under a caution on Lap 149.
A subtle debate would ensue, and the following day, the official race results were announced—this time with Unser being dropped to second and Andretti handed the victory of the Indy 500 race.
Watch Mario Andretti and Bobby Unser speak about the 1981 Indy 500 event:
This ruling would spur endless controversies, as protests and counter-protests became the order of the day.
However, following a lengthy review and appeal process, Unser saw his penalty rescinded, and the Team Penske driver was reinstated as the winner five months after the race had taken place.
The reinstated victory became Unser's third win at the Indianapolis event, as well as the final triumph of his illustrious career, as he retired from IndyCar racing at the end of the 1981 season.
